Toggle action jaw type gripper



1969 L. F. BLATT TOGGLE ACTION JAW TYPE GRIPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 11, 1967 m T N E V W LELAND F. BL ATT ATTORNEYS Dec. 9, 1969 L. F. BLATT 3,

TOGGLE ACTION JAW TYPE GRIPPER Filed Sept. 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS I I, [I Ill l l i I I I FIGZ) INVENTOR 42 LELAND E BLATT w, w zuz.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,482,831 TOGGLE ACTION JAW TYPE GRIPPER Leland F. Blatt, Grosse Pointe, Mich. (24121 Mound Road, Warren, Mich. 48091) Filed Sept. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 666,753 Int. Cl. B23q 3/08; 1325b N14 US. Cl. 269-32 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toggle action jaw type gripper with a fixed jaw on the jaw body, a fixed pivot link on the body pivotally mounting a pivotal jaw, with a pivotal clamp arm on the body loosely and flexibly and pivotally connected with the pivotal jaw, and a power reciprocated clevis linked to said clamp arm and guidably mounted within the jaw body for effecting pivotal movements of said movable aw.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved power cylinder operated heavy duty jaw type gripper adapted to withstand and to apply extremely high gripping forces employing a rigid compact jaw and body assembly, and wherein the inner stationary jaw and the outer movable jaw and the mounting and linkages therefor are arranged in a compact manner fully supported within the jaw body.

This and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present jaw type gripper.

FIG. 2 is a similar view thereof with the linkage and jaw assembly shown for illustration with the jaw body removed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic and perspective view of a power cylinder with piston rod adapted for connection to and assembly with the present jaw type gripper.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the gripper shown in FIG. 1 with the body removed and with parts shown fragmentarily.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view, but similar to FIG 4 It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, the present gripper assembly, generally indicated at 11, FIGURE 1, includes a hollow elongated body 12, which has a stationary inner jaw assembly 13, and a pivotal outer jaw assembly 14.

Pivot bolt 15, as hereafter described, is secured to body 12 and provides the pivotal mounting for the pair of clamp arms 27, which control opening and closing of the outer jaw assembly 14.

Additionally the pivot bolt 15 interconnects the inner jaw supporting arms and the pivot link 3% for the outer jaw arms with body 12, and provides the sole means for retaining the arm and linkage assembly within the said body, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The clevis 17, adapted for power reciprocation, is slidably and reciprocally mounted within the opposed slots 48 relative to the bore 47 of body 12, and provides the means for actuating the pivotal clamp arms 27 as hereafter described.

The inner jaw assembly 13 includes the pair of spaced parallel upper arms 18 which have fixedly mounted at their ends the transverse inner grip plate 19 which normally mounts a pair of conventional type of grips 20,

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The outer jaw assembly 14 includes the pair of parallel spaced lower arms 21 which terminate at their upper ends in the outer grip plate 22, adapted for cooperative registry with the grips on the inner grip plate 19, as best shown in FIGURE 4, and with a workpiece schematically showed at W, interposed and secured therebetween, FIGURE 4.

A pair of parallel spaced jaw links 23 at their one ends project within clevis 17 and are pivotally connected thereto by pivot pin 24, there being a pair of spacers 25 between the said ends of links 23.

The opposite side of clevis 17 has an upright T slot 26, adapted to cooperatively receive the slotted end 42- 43 of the reciprocal piston rod 41, which projects from the cylinder 40 of FIGURE 3, to thus provide a simplified and quick means for disconnecting and connecting clevis 17 with the said piston rod upon assembly or disassembly of the mounting plate 38, apertured at 39 with respect to the mounting flange 36 similarly apertured at 37, and by which the power cylinder assembly 40-38 is removably secured to jaw body 12, when the two are brought into longitudinal engaging registry.

A pair of parallel spaced clamp arms 27 of cantilever form are adapted for nesting within the body 12 and at their spaced apart ends receive the other ends of the jaw links 23, which are pivotally connected thereto by the transverse pivot pin 28, there being a suitable spacer 29 interposed between links 23, as best shown in FIG- URE 5.

The elongated formed pivot link 30 at its upper end is interposed between the one ends of the inner jaw arms 18 and is fixedly secured thereto by the assembly bolt 16, which mounts the spacers 31, projects through and is secured to sidewall portions of body 12, FIGURES l, 2, 4 and 5.

Thus, the spacers 31 fill the space between the inner jaw arms 18 and the interior wall of the body 12, adjacent its bore 47, FIGURE 1.

The pivot bolt 15, which serves as the pivotal mounting upon the body 12 for the pair of clamp arms 27, extends through, the said clamp arms, through the inner jaw arms 18, and through the pivot link 30 and through corresponding portions of jaw body 12 and fixedly secured thereto, FIGURE 1. Thus, the pivot bolt 15, which serves as the pivot mounting for the clamp arms 27 also serves as the further securing means for anchoring the inner jaw arms 18 and the pivot link 30 within and upon the jaw body 12. The spacer disks 32 are mounted upon end portions of the pivot bolt 15 and normally nest within the internal slots 48, adjacent the bore 47 of said body.

The arms 21 of the outer jaw assembly 14 at their free ends are arranged upon opposite sides of the lower projecting end of the pivot link 30 and are connected thereto by pivot pin 33, FIGURE 1.

The free ends of the clamp arms 27 are loosely and flexibly and pivotally connected by pin and slot connection to intermediate portions of outer jaw arms 21, said arms including opposed slots 35, which receive therein a transverse pivot bolt 34, which extends through end portions of clamp arms 27, through the slots 35 as shown in FIGURE 1.

As schematically shown, FIGURE 3, the remote controlled valve 44 with pressure and exhaust connections P and X is joined by suitable conduits to the respective ports 45 and 46 adjacent opposite ends of power cylinder for controlling reciprocal movements of the piston rod 41, which projects axially thereof and through the assembly flange 38 at one end thereof.

Operation Outer jaw assembly 14 has a fixed but pivotal mount- 3 ing 33 upon the lower projecting end of the pivot link 30 which is itself fixedly and immovably secured within the jaw body 12, employing the assembly bolt 16 and the pivot bolt 15.

The controlling mechanism for effecting reciprocal pivotal movements of the outer jaw assembly 14 includes the pair of clamp arms 27, which are pivotally mounted by pivot bolt 15 to and upon and within the jaw body, and at their one ends by links 23 connected to the power reciprocated clevis 17. This thus, upon reciprocal movement of the clevis 17 effects reciprocal pivotal movements of the controlling clamp arms 27. These in turn at their opposite ends have a loose pin and slot connection with the respective arms 21 of the outer jaw assembly and wherein the pivot bolt 34 operatively engages the said arms 21 within the opposing slots 35 to effect pivotal movements thereof.

Employing the T-slot connection 26 between clevis 17 and the piston rod 41 which has a cooperating slotted portion 4243, a quick disconnect can be achieved between the jaw body assembly and the power cylinder 40 merely by removing cooperating fasteners which extend between the registering apertures 37 and 39, between jaw body mounting flange 36 and the mounting flange 38, upon the power cylinder.

By this same construction the jaw body may be reversed or rotated either 90 degrees or 180 degrees, with respect to the cylinder assembly 40, merely by removing the fasteners which extend between apertures 37 and 39, and permitting relative rotation of the respective flange 36 and 38, since the said apertures are equally spaced apart. This provides a quick means by which the plane within which the jaws 19 and 22 function and also provide a means by which the jaw body 12 may be disconnected from the power cylinder and another jaw body substituted merely by removing the fasteners and disconnecting the piston rod quickly from the T-slot 26 of the clevis 17.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claims. I claim:

1. An improved toggle action jaw type gripper comprising:

a body having an elongated guide slot therein;

an inner jaw including a pair of spaced apart parallel arms, secured to and within the body and projecting therefrom;

a stationary pivot link at one end interposed between said arms, fixedly secured to said body and projecting therefrom;

an outer jaw including a pair of spaced apart parallel 4 arms disposed upon opposite sides of said pivot link and pivotally connected thereto;

a pair of clamp arms within the body and projecting therefrom and intermediate their ends pivotally mounted upon said body;

pin and slot connecting means between one end of said clamp arms and said outer jaw arms whereby pivotal movements of said clamp arms effects corresponding pivotal clamping movements of said outer jaw arms;

actuating means for opening and closing said outer jaw including a clevis mounted for reciprocating movement in said body guide slot;

and link means connected at one end to said clevis and at the other end to a transverse pin mounted on and between the other ends of said clamp arms.

2. In the jaw type gripper of claim 1, the respective arms of said inner and outer jaws being coplanar and arranged upon opposite sides of said pivot link.

3. In the jaw type gripper of claim 1, the securing of said inner jaw arms to said body including a pivot pin which serves also as the pivot mounting for said clamp arms;

and spacer means on the ends of said pivot pin mounted within the body guide slot.

4. In the jaw type gripper of claim 3, the securing of said inner jaw arms to said body including an assembly bolt which extends through said inner jaw arms, through said pivot link, and through and secured to said body, and;

second spacer means on said assembly bolt filling the space between said body and said inner jaw arms.

5. In the jaw type gripper of claim 1, wherein said clevis has a T-shaped slot to receive the similarly shaped end of the piston rod of a power cylinder;

to thereby permit rapid disconnection of the gripper assembly from the power cylinder.

6. In the gripper of claim 5, wherein an apertured fiange is provided on said body for mounting a power cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

